Because of the color of her skin, Anderson was denied the opportunity to perform at nearby Constitution Hall and at a local high school. So the opera singer performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in April 1939 to 75,000 blacks and whites standing together.
In the Sunday afternoon sunshine, African American opera star Denyce Graves performed three of the songs Anderson sang: “America (My Country, 'Tis of Thee)," “O, Mio Fernando" and “Ave Maria."
Wearing one of Anderson's dresses, Graves called her predecessor “one of my greatest heroes." She joked that when she looked over Anderson's performance list and saw “O, Mio Fernando" she thought, “My God she sang that song; that's really hard."
The Chicago Children's Choir, the women's a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock and the U.S. Marine Band also performed.
